Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 935 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

. . >> - . a) ta aie gentleman you name has sent you to me. - Now,” as they entered the parlor, “I will at » hear you.” b Joe Phillips drew a pistol and leveled it jf at the man’s forehead. . be | . Sit down,” he commanded, “and you shall hear me, indeed! The little game is ' up, my man, but I am going to give you a chance.” ea The fellow was as pale as death; he ha ‘| trembled violently, and he dropped rather of than sat. ; I ‘‘T cave,” he gasped. “Who are you?” er “T am Joe Phillips.” irl “ That’s enough! For God's sake, give w mea chance!” — al “T will do it, if you swear that you will - work against the others and in my favor.” at “T’ll do it; I swear I will!’ “- —_— “ Step here to the window.” mt The man obeyed. rd “Do you see those two policemen over there? Well, they have been detailed to ta watch this house, and there are more of them around. There is no escape, and if =~ you try to double on me you will be — scooped.” _ “TJ won't try it; all I ask is a show.” ens * Well, you shall have it. The fact that IY © am here ought to be proof enough that in = there is no help for you.” hc “7 know it; there is only one man in Brooklyn that I stood afraid of, and that is you. Tell me what you want of me, and I swear I will fill the bill right up to the scratch.” ; ‘‘ Ambler is to come here at ten o’clock ad to-night.” he “Yes, that is the plan.” And he is going to try to force a mar- M2, gviage with a young woman who is now a ch prisoner in this house.” nd “Thunder! Is there anything that you ed) don’t know?” | ‘‘Not much, in regard to this case, I Ts. © guess.” . J“ How did you find it out?” ad .~ “By the boy who paid you a visit, the ith same fellow who read the message you received from Ambler, and who came at nd = once to my rescue.” ce \ “Curse him! Where was he? How. did ed [ he hide from me? He would never have - earried any report to anybody if I had got another sight of him! I ean tell you that! fiiow did he escape?” “Do not trouble yourself about those de- tails now, but attend .to what I have to say.” “ Well, you have got me in a fix.” And will keep you there, too. Do not imagine there is any outlet for you, for there is not. The whole matter is known, as you ought to be satisfied now, and there is only one chance for you.” : “And that is?” 1 “To play into my hands, as I have said.” ; , “ * And I have said that I will do it.” “That is enough, then. I will give you the particulars. are you armed?” | re Ste ¥eg.”” J . “Surrender your pistol to me.” _ The fellow obeyed, seeing that it was . useless to resist. : | Phillips then unfolded his plan, and told _ the fellow of the part he had to play. — | “TJ take the offer gladly,” the rascal ac- cepted. , ~ “ All right; I will trust you, because I am going to be on hand to watch you, | ate you cannot fail me. By aiding me an trapping the chief rascal, you will be _ let down easy; by trying to throw me over | eter te yourself for State’s Prison ae for Ure” 3 5 : | “Say no more; I am not a candidate { for that, thank you. I know when my ow cart is upset as well as anybody.” | as if about to fall to the floor from sheer -_\ young woman is. No, second thought, you) “Murderer!” the apparition repeated. J) need not do that: "Are you not gatistied with your work al a ie oVig ; . f ~ o_ : AS “ e Soo The Ex-Newsboy Detective’s Chum. any, “iyligigmrnniatibesaaheidiibatin PE EA REA SOS PS “Tl do it, if you say so.” “No, I will not let her know, for that will make the surprise all the greater for my friend, Ambier.” ‘“*I will tell you all you want to know, then, which will be just as well, and I wil} give it to you straight, too. I have noth- ing to gain by dealing crooked with Joe Phillips!” * But everything to lose. One question will suffice: Is that young woman the missing Luella Achterson?’”’ 4s You” ’ The day was about spent. Just about dusk Ambler paid a ¢all to the house to see that everything was all right. Phillips heard the interview from his place of hiding, and was satisfied that the man Carper was not going to try to deal double with him, but was in earnest in his promise. Carper went away, and in the course of another hour other persons came to the door and were admitted, One of these was Bob Buckle; another was a man who wore his hat pulled down so that his face could not be seen, and who had the collar of his coat turned up for further concealment. Finally another appeared, who came singing: ‘‘De motorman, he hab’ d’e fun, D’e ‘ductor he scoop all d’e mun’; D'e passenger, he hab’ d’e best, ’Cause he jes’ set still an’ rest?’ ) Needless to say who the singer was. He was admitted and shown up to the rooms on the next floor with the others. Finally, later on, came the villains in the play, who proceeded at once up-stairs, Carper accompanying them, having first secured the front door to the satisfaction of Ambler. | They entered the room where the old hag guarded her fair prisoner, and where the grand denouement was to take place. CHAPTER XIX. CONCLUSION. In the space of the secret staircase stood Bob Buckle and the man who had come into the house with his collar turned up and hat pulled down, as stated. The detective and ail the others were in the hall without, where they awaited the right time to enter. Carper, within, was to open the door to them at the prope moment. . Ambler had come there with the inten- tion of forcing a marriage with Luella, and had a villain with him, in the guise of a preacher, to perform the ceremony. He urged gently at first, but soon began to threaten, until, finally, the young woman cried out in despair: “YT could not do your bidding if I would, George Ambler, for I am married already. I am the wife of Robert Wellstone?’ “You were his wife, I know. He killed himself last night, at his room in the hotel. Here is your marriage certificate, which I intend to burn, and then where will Your good name be?’ “Mercy! mercy! ‘Spare me! spare me!” “That is what I want todo! Marry me, and all will be well!” _“* Murderer!”’ ) It was another voice, strangely hollow, and all looked in the direction whence it eame. There, against a dark background like an open door in the solid wall, stood Robert Wellstone, pale like death, a pur- ple mark aro i dex pointed straight at Ambler.” The conspirator started, and appeared ound his throat, and with in-| -i ~ Canny hy - st 5 >) ready done? Would you Garry your mis- deeds further? Heaven forbid!’’ With a shriek the young woman in the bed fainted dead away; the old hag ap- peared as if ready to drop dead, so great was her terror, and the rest were no less disturbed by what they saw and heard. A moment of this; then the door was thrown open, and Joe Phillips and police- men and the others stalked into the room, Wellstone, alive and well, sprang to the aid of his wife, while the others took care of their prisoners. It had been a surprise complete, and Ambler had no room to get out of the fix’ he was in. They were all taken care of; the young woman was borne home to her mother as soon as possible, and great was Mrs. Ach- terson’s joy. The prisoners, save Carper, were shown no mercy. The case was this: Andrew Achterson, husband of Mrs. Achterson and father of Luella, had died very rich, and had left everything to Luella. Ambler was in the employ of the firm of lawyers who had the matter in hand, or were supposed to have, but he had kept all knowldege of it from them. It was his determination to marry the heiress first, to make sure of his own | good fortune. But his suit was rejected, and he came into the secret that the young woman was already the wife of Wellstone. This en- raged him, and he resolved that he would stop at nothing to gain his ends. He gave the young woman a sleeping potion, in a way she could not suspect—a drug that would make her appear as if dead. Then, with the aid of Wardhouse and Carper, he stole the body, having made a key that would admit him into the house. More. than thaty he murdered Wellstone, as he supposed, and stole the marriage certifi- cate. His intention was to marry the young woman, sail immediately, and as no other marriage was known, it could be made to appear that it had been an elopement, and all would be well. He believed that he could force the young woman into playing that role, when she came to realize the desperate situation she was in. But it did not work that way, as. we have seen. They had not figured on Joe Phillips, of Brooklyn, and his able appren- tice, Bob Buckle. Wellstone’s body had not been stolen, of course, but it had been removed to an- other room, the detective having discov- ered that the man was not dead. Prompt medical aid had brought him out all right. His testimony against Ambler was enough. He told how Ambler had called upon him, and how, during their conversa- tion, Ambler had mesmerized him, and sought to kill him by a silken cord when he had rendered him helpless. . Little more can be said. The reader who has followed our romance to the end can understand all the finer plays that have been made here and there along the way, in the light of the revelation that has now been made, and can appreciate them, No small share of the credit for the out- come of the matter fell upon Bob Buckle, who took it all as matter of fact, and did not allow his elation to be manifest. And Glossy Pete, too, came in for a share of the praise that was being freely bestowed, but he could not stand it, and went off singing: : ““T'd like a ride d’at’s good an’ long, — ‘Bout as long as dis heah song; T’d git up in d’e early morn An’ ride till Gabriel blow his horn!’") THE END. Next Haur- he Diez Lionary, No. 986. { WANS & ."